Wobble plate pump



May 4, 1965 T. H. THOMPSON WOBBLE PLATE PUMP 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan. 30, 1961 May 4, 1965 T. H. THOMPSON WOBBLE PLATE PUMP .'5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 50. 1961 INVENTOA TOM H. THCMIPSOA/ May 4, 1965 T. H` THOMPSON 3,181,475

WOBBLE PLATE PUMP Filed Jan. 30, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet I5 INVENTOR. TOM H. THOMRSON BY W Wad/ United States Patent O 3,181,475 WOBBLE PLATE PUMP Tom H. Thompson, Daytona Beach, Fla., assigner to Daytona Thompson Corporation, Daytona Beach, Fia., a corporation of Florida Filed Ilan. 30, 1961, Ser. No. 85,655 9 Claims. (Cl. 163-162) This invention relates to wobble plate pumps of the kind including a cylindrical housing, a multi-cylinder unit therein carrying a plurality of pistons and incorporating a cavity to accommodate a wobble plate having drive connections with the pistons and means securing the wobble plate -against rotation in relation to the said unit. The more common arrangement is to employ a stationary housing and rotate the cylinder unit and, since that is the form herein described, the said unit will be referred to herein as the rotor.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved form of drive connection between the wobble plate and the pistons and of a character such that all of the pistons partake of identical harmonic motion.

Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical, longitudinal section of a pump embodying a preferred form of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross section on the line 2-2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a cross section, on a reduced scale, on the line 3 3 of FIG. l;

FIG'. 4 is an end elevation of the pump (the right-hand end of FIG. l) with certain parts shown in phantom;

FIG. 5 is a cross section of the wobble plate assembly on the line 5 5 of FIG. l;

FIG. 6 is a cross section on the line 6 6 of FIG. l; and

FIG. 7 is a cross section on the line 7 7 of FIG. 1.

The housing, generally designated 10, comprises a cylindrical body portion 11 and end closures 12, 13, all bolted or otherwise suitably secured together.

Within the housing and with its ends abutting the inner faces of the end closures is a rotor 16 (FIG. 1) carrying a cluster of pistons mounted for reciprocation in cylinders formed in the rotor. in this particular pump there are tive cylinders and pistons, marked 17 and 18 respectively. A rotor drive shaft 19 extends outwardly through end closure 12. In this form the rotor is shown as consisting of two spaced heads 22, 23, united by a sleeve 24 but the ldetails of construction are immaterial so long as the rotor incorporates a cavity 25 to accommodate the wobble plate,

generally designated 26. In this form, also, each cylin- Vder is shown as provided with a liner Z7 (FIG. l) extending between the rotor heads 22, 23 and cut away to accommodate the wobble plate but, here again, these details form no part ofthe invention. The illustrated piston details, likewise, except as below indicated, form no part `of this invention.

The main support for the wobble plate consists of a shaft which extends across the rotor cavity and is itself supported on both sides of the cavity, as in bearings 36, 37. The right-hand end of shaft 35 (as viewed in fPIG. l) -extends out through the end closure 13, where it is secured against rotation by lock nut A38. The immediate or tilt support for the wobble plate is a cross shaft 39 (FIGS. 1 and 5) which extends through the shaft 35, its protruding ends providing journal support for the inner cup wall 4tl of the wobble plate.

Beyond its cup wall '43, the wobble plate is encircled by a radially' disposed drive ring 45 which is located and `supported by and between two sets of balls 47, 48, and drive connections are provided between the ring and the pistons so that, as the rotor is rotated, the pistons are caused to reciprocate in their cylinders. The wobble plate has a radial flange coaxial with the rotor.

ln the preferred form, the drive connection for each piston comprises a ball 54 mounted in a suitable socket member 55 shown (tFlG. 6) as consisting of a plurality of disks united as by bolts 56 (HG. 6). Each socket member is located in a sliding fit in a liner 57 press-fitted in a radially disposed piston recess 58, so that ball 54 and socket member 455 may partake of limited radial movement in relation to the piston and the axis of rotation of the rotor; also, of course, the socket member is free to oscillate, rotationally, in the piston recess.

Each ball '54 is provided with a slot 69 open at one end to receive the drive ring 45. This, too, is a sliding lit, permitting the ball to advance and retreat, circumferentially, in relation to the ring. The inner or closed end of slot 69 is designed to abut the outer edge of the drive ring and, to maintain normal contact between the two, a spring l#3.1 is disposed between socket member 55 and the closed end of the piston recess. As will be understood, the spring is biased to move the socket member and ball radially inwardly. As appears in FIG. '1, the drive connection between piston and ring is located centrally of the piston and the latter is cut away for a portion of its length on its inner side to accommodate the wobble plate.

A bore extends clear through the wobble plate support shaft 35 (and cross shaft `59) and, movable lengthwise in the bore, is a wobble plate control shaft `66. At its left-hand end, as viewed in FIG. l, shaft 66 carries a head or olf-set portion 67 located in a slot 68 formed in the reduced end 69 of shaft 35. As shown, head 67 is adapted to engage the wall 70 of the wobble plate and, according to the endwise position of the control shaft, determine its tilt. In lieu of manual means for adjusting the position of the control shaft, the present form incorporates a cant control for the wobble plate including a spring encircling the free end of the shaft and, by adjustment of nut A76, serving to oppose predetermined resistance to movement of the wobble plate toward its erect position.

Referring now to FIG. 4, two ports 30, 81 are indicated; and, assuming the rotor to be rotated in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in this Ifigure, the port 8G will be the inlet and port 81 the outlet. -Port 8i) opens directly into an arcuate manifold cavity 82 formed in the housing and closure 13 and port 81 serves a like cavity 813. End closure 12 incorporates similar manifold cavities 34, 85 and each of these four cavities is in communication with a group of cylinders. Thus, as shown in FlG. 2, the inner face of end closure 12 is provided with a ported end plate having an arcuate grill opening S6 which, as it is swept by the passing ends of the rotor cylinders, puts them in communication with manifold cavity d4; and a similar arcuate grill opening 87, as it is swept by the passing ends of the rotor cylinders, puts them in communication with manifold cavity 35. The inner face of end closure 13 is also provided with a ported end plate having identical grill openings B8, 89 (=FlG. 4) to provide communication between the opposite ends of the rotor cylinders and manifold cavities .82 and S3 respectively. The outer or maximum diameter portions of the manifolds cavities throughout their arcuate length are also open to the inner faces of the respective end closures as indicated in FIG. l at 90 with respect to manifold cavity S'S and at I91 with respect to manifold cavity 53.

According to the invention, the manifold cavities of the two end closures are cross connected and in such fashion as to minimize flow restriction. This is accomplished b'inaking helical ducts or passages out of the cylindrical portion of the housing itself. As appears in FIG. l, the housing comprises inner and outer walls 100, 101 and the space between them is divided into two ducts e@ or lluid passages by means of two helical ilights 102, 103, indicated in phantom in FIG. 1. Both flights are indicated in section in FIG. 3. As will be understood, 'these ilights are spaced apart 180 degrees at their ends and throughout their lengths. 82 of end closure 13 (FIG. 4) is placed in communication with manifold cavity 85 of end closure 12 (FIGS. l and 2) and manifold cavity 83 of end closure 13 (FIG. 4) is placed inV communication with manifold cavity 84 of end closure 12 (FIG. 2). Accordingly, it will be seen (by. following the indicated direction of rotation of the` :rotor and the resulting motions of the pistons as induced by their drive connections with the wobble plate) that inlet port S is always in communication with those cylinder ends from which the pistons are retreating, thus applying suction to the inlet. Similarly, inlet port 81 is always in communication with those cylinder ends toward which the pistons are advancing, thus applying pressure to the fluid-loadedcylinders and discharging to and through the outlet.`

In the light of the foregoing exemplication of the principles of 'the invention, the following is claimed:

l. In a pump of the kind including a cluster of pistons and a wobble plate incorporating a radially disposed drive ring, drive connections between the ring and the pistons comprising: a plurality of ball socket members, each of said pistons having a radially disposed recess to accommodate one of said socket members with freedom for limited endwise movement therein toward and from the drive ring, a ball in each socket member having a slot to receive thel periphery of the drive ring and spring Thus, manifold cavity means engaged with and biasing the socket members in rotate and slide endwise therein toward and from the drive ring, a ball in each of the socket members having a slot to Vreceive the drive ring and spring means engaged with and biasing the socket members in a direction to move the balls toward the drive ring.

3. In a pump, a housing having a ported end plate and a rotor operable thereagainst carrying a cylinder communicating with said port and a piston within said cylinder, a wobble plate coaxial within said rotor and having a radial flange, said piston having a recess with a bottom, a floating ball within said recess having a bottomed slot receiving the periphery of said radial flange, and means biasing said ball away from said bottom of said recess to maintain theV bottom of said slot in constant contact with the periphery of said radial flange. 4. In a pump,

a housing having opposed ported end plates and a rotor operable therebetween carrying a cylinder communieating with said ports and a piston within said cylinder,

a wobble plate coaxial within said rotor and having a radial flange,

said piston having a radially extending recess,

a ball member radially movable within said recess and having a slot receiving the periphery of said radial ange, Y Y

and means urging said ball out of said recess so that the bottom of said slot is held in constant engagement with the periphery of said radial flange.

Y 5. In a pump,

a housing having a ported end plate and a rotor 0pi erable thereagainst carrying a cylinder communicating with said port and a piston within said cylinder,

a wobble plate coaxial within said rotor and mounted forrpivotal movement transverse to the axis of said yrotor,

a circumferential groove in said wobble plate,

an annular radial flange within said groove,

a ball race formed on each side of said flange and each side of said groove lto provide free rotation of said V:flange on said wobble plate, Y

a radially extending cylindrical recess in said piston,

a socket member slidable in said recess,

a ball in said socket member,

said socket member comprising aY plurality of stacked annular discs intimately embracing s aid ball,

a slot in said ball receiving the periphery of said radial iliange, v

and meansrbiasing said socketmember and said ball to maintain the bottom of said slot in constantcontact with the periphery of said radial ange.

l 6. In a pump,

a housing having opposed end plates and an annular rotor operable therebetween carrying a cylinder communieating with said ports and a piston Within said cylinder. Y

a support shaft extending through one of said end plates and within said rotor,

a bearing on the inner end of said shaft and a bearing on said shaft adjacent said one end plate,

an input shaft on said rotor extending through said other end plate,

and said rotor being journaled thereby and by said shaft carried bearings,

a wobble plate pivotally mounted on said shaft within said annular rotor and carrying a rotatable radial flange,

said piston having a radially extending recess,

a ball member movable within said recess having a bottomed slot receiving the periphery of said radial flange,

means urging said ball in a direction maintaining the bottom of said slot in constant engagement with the periphery of said radial flange,

and means for establishing the cant of said wobble plate. f

7. In a pump,

a housing having ported'end plates and a rotor operable thereagainst carrying a cylinder communicating with said ports and a piston within said cylinder,

a'wobble plate pivotally mounted coaxially within said rotorV and having a rotatable radial flange,

said piston having a radial recess,

a socket member movable in said recess,

a slotted ball in said socket member,

said socket member comprising a plurality of stacked annular discs intimately embracing said ball,

said slot of said ball receiving the periphery of said wobble plate ange, and resilient means urging said assembly toward pumping relation.

8. In a pump,

a housing having spaced end plates,

each said end plate having an inlet and an exhaust port and an associated manifold for each said port,

individual transfer passagesrinterconnecting said inlet and exhaust manifolds,

a rotor operablebetween said end plates and carrying a cylinder communicating with said ports and a piston within said cylinder,

a wobble plate coaxial within said rotor and having a radial ange,

said piston having a recess, Y

a slotted ball within said recess with the slot receiving the periphery of said radial flange, Y

means biasing said ballrin a direction whereby the arenaria bottom of the slot is in constant engagement with the periphery of said radial flange,

and clearance in said recess permitting radial movement of said ball.

9. In a pump,

a housing having spaced end plates,

each said end plate having an inlet and an exhaust port and a manifold operably connected with each said port,

individual transfer passages interconnecting said inlet and exhaust manifolds,

each said inlet and exhaust port having a grilled opening,

a rotor operable between said end plates and carrying a cylinder communicating with said ports and a piston Within said cylinder and slidable across said grilled openings with said grills partially supporting the piston face,

a wobble plate coaxial with said rotor and having a radial flange,

a radial recess in a mid portion of said piston,

a slotted ball radially movable within said recess with said slot receiving the periphery of said radial flange of said wobble plate, and means biasing said ball in a direction whereby the bottom of the slot is in engagement with the periphery er said radial ilange.

References Cited by the Examiner UNKTED STATES PATENTS 1,428,876 9/22 Bollinck 103-162 2,456,109 12/48 Buckner 103-162 2,486,690 l 1/ 49 Tipton 103-162 2,498,451 2/ 5 0 Ruben 102-162 2,838,003 6/58 Joy 103-4 2,901,975 9/59 Grad 103-4 FORElGN PATENTS 968,435 2/ 5 8 Germany.

183,488 7/ 22 Great Britain.

196,158 4/ 23 Great Britain.

9 0 LAURENCE V. EFNER, Primary Examiner.

.OSEPH H. BRANSON, IR., Examiner. 

1. IN A PUMP OF THE KIND INCLUDING A CLUSTER OF PISTONS AND A WOBBLE PLATE INCORPORATING A RADIALLY DISPOSED DRIVE RING, DRIVE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE RING AND THE PISTONS COMPRISING: A PLURALITY OF BALL SOCKET MEMBERS, EACH OF SAID PISTONS HAVING A RADIALLY DISPOSED RECESS TO ACCOMMODATE ONE OF SAID SOCKET MEMBERS WITH FREEDOM FOR LIMITED ENDWISE MOVEMENT THEREIN TOWARD AND FROM THE DRIVE RING, A BALL IN EACH SOCKET MEMBER HAVING A SLOT TO RECEIVE THE PERIPHERY OF THE DRIVE RING AND SPRING MEANS ENGAGED WITH AND BIASING THE SOCKET MEMBERS IN A DIRECTION TO MOVE THE BALLS TOWARD THE DRIVE RING. 